If you’ve ever fallen in love with a book that feels like a fever dream set in the snowy streets of Montreal, chances are you’ve already discovered Heather O’Neill. With her lyrical prose, quirky characters, and a trademark blend of whimsy and heartbreak, O’Neill has become one of Canada’s most beloved contemporary authors.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or you just finished The Lonely Hearts Hotel and need more, this up-to-date guide lists every Heather O’Neill book in both publication and suggested reading order—plus quick thoughts on each so you know exactly what you’re diving into next.
List of Heather O’Neill Books in Publication Order
Heather O’Neill’s works primarily consist of standalone novels, short story collections, poetry, non-fiction, and one children’s book. There are no traditional multi-book series with shared protagonists or overarching plots. However, her novels often share thematic connections to Montreal’s underbelly and magical realism. Below is a comprehensive table of all her major published books as of December 2025, sorted by publication year.
| Year | Title | Type | Brief Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Lullabies for Little Criminals | Novel | A young girl’s gritty coming-of-age in Montreal’s streets with her heroin-addicted father; debut novel and Canada Reads winner. |
| 2007 | Are you sleeping | Poetry | A collection of poetic works exploring whimsy and introspection. |
| 2014 | The Girl Who Was Saturday Night | Novel | Twins navigating fame, identity, and Quebec’s 1995 referendum; loose thematic ties to Lullabies. |
| 2015 | Daydreams of Angels | Short Stories | Surreal fairy tales and magical vignettes set in wartime and modern worlds. |
| 2017 | The Lonely Hearts Hotel | Novel | Epic tale of two orphans’ star-crossed love amid vaudeville and gangsters in early 20th-century Montreal. |
| 2018 | Wisdom in Nonsense: Invaluable Life Lessons from Famous Authors | Non-Fiction | Literary anecdotes and life lessons drawn from classic authors. |
| 2022 | The Capital of Cats | Children’s Book | A whimsical picture book about a boy discovering a hidden feline city in Montreal. |
| 2022 | When We Lost Our Heads | Novel | A dark, queer-tinged historical friendship between two women in 19th-century Montreal’s elite circles. |
| 2025 | The Capital of Dreams | Novel | A new standalone novel blending dreamlike elements with urban fantasy (recent release). |
Heather O’Neill Books in Publication Order
- Lullabies for Little Criminals (2006) The breakout novel that put Heather on the map—and won the Canada Reads contest in 2007. Twelve-year-old Baby navigates Montreal’s seedy underbelly with her heroin-addicted father—dark, funny, and impossibly tender. If you only read one O’Neill book, make it this one.
- The Girl Who Was Saturday Night (2014) A spiritual companion to Lullabies. Follows nineteen-year-old Noushcka and her twin brother Nicolas, children of a famous Quebec separatist folk singer, as they stumble into adulthood during the 1995 referendum. Think coming-of-age story meets political circus.
- Daydreams of Angels (2015) is her first short-story collection. Fairy tales retold in WWII bunkers, angels falling in love with mortals, nuns giving suspiciously good advice—vintage O’Neill surrealism in bite-sized portions.
- The Lonely Hearts Hotel (2017). Possibly her most beloved book. Two orphans—Piano Man Pierrot and dancer Rose—meet in a brutal Montreal orphanage in the 1910s, fall in love, get separated, and spend decades trying to find each other again amid vaudeville, gangsters, and bear acts. Gorgeous, tragic, and utterly cinematic (rights were snapped up for a movie/TV adaptation years ago).
- Wisdom in Nonsense: Invaluable Life Lessons from Famous Authors (2018)is A tiny, charming non-fiction gem published by the University of Alberta’s writer-in-residence series. More of an amuse-bouche than a full meal, but delightful if you love literary anecdotes.
- When We Lost Our Heads (2022) is A deliciously wicked historical novel set in 19th-century Montreal’s Golden Square Mile. Follows two girls—rich, cruel Marie and poor, ambitious Sadie—who form an intoxicating, dangerous friendship that echoes into adulthood. Think Dangerous Liaisons meets sugar-factory riots. Queer undertones, gorgeous gowns, and a literal guillotine.
- Alphabets of Flesh (2025) – Upcoming short-story collection. Just announced! A new collection exploring bodies, desire, and language. Expected spring/summer 2025. Mark your calendars.
Suggested Reading Order for New Readers
While every book stands alone beautifully, here’s the path most fans recommend:
- Start with Lullabies for Little Criminals – it’s her most accessible and emotionally devastating.
- Move to The Girl Who Was Saturday Night – same Montreal universe, slightly older characters.
- Fall completely in love with The Lonely Hearts Hotel – peak O’Neill magic.
- Dive into When We Lost Our Heads – her most ambitious and lush historical yet.
- Circle back to the short stories (Daydreams of Angels and the upcoming Alphabets of Flesh) whenever you need a quick hit of her voice.
Bonus: Children’s Book
- The Capital of Cats (2022) – An absolutely adorable picture book about a boy who discovers a secret city of cats in Montreal. Perfect if you want to introduce younger readers to Heather’s whimsical side.
Why Heather O’Neill Keeps Winning Awards (and Hearts)
- Winner of Canada Reads, Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize, and multiple shortlists for the Giller Prize and Governor General’s Award.
- Her prose has been called “dazzling,” “heartbreaking,” and “like cotton candy made of broken glass” (we’re stealing that last one).
If you like Gabrielle Roy, Miriam Toews, or Alice Munro with a dash of Tim Burton, O’Neill is your next obsession.
Ready to get lost in Montreal snowstorms and impossible love stories? Grab Lullabies for Little Criminals today—you won’t come up for air.
Which Heather O’Neill book broke your heart the hardest? Drop it in the comments—I need to know I’m not the only one still crying over Pierrot and Rose. ✨